Processors report lamb kill well ahead

This season's lamb kill is running well ahead of where it was at this time last year, and seems to confirm predictions the kill will taper off and the final tally will be 23% lower than last year reports the ODT. But there was concern there could be another high ewe kill, with figures showing that to the end of January it was running 6.5% ahead of the same time last year. The figures also confirmed the forecast kill of 20.4 million lambs compared to 26.5 million last year. The mutton kill was higher than expected, even taking into account the massive liquidation that occurred last year due to changing land use and drought.  Some meat companies have reported their cull cow kill to be 85% ahead of last year. Silver Fern Farms chief executive Keith Cooper said the number of lambs being presented for processing was falling week by week and it looked as if predictions of six million fewer lambs and three million fewer ewes was accurate. But the better growing season meant some farmers were holding on to animals and he expected the season to have a long tail, which was what markets wanted. Average lamb weights were also up. Mr Cooper said the size of ewe kill was "frightening", but added it could be due to some areas getting dry in January and early February, or farmers killing old ewes but keeping more ewe lambs. Manufacturing meat and shoulder cuts were still in demand, but growing confidence and a favourable exchange has seen a rise in the venison schedule.  The report stated there was little confidence in beef markets, with limited demand from the United States for imported grinding beef, due in part to the continued large domestic cow slaughter, which was up to 32% higher than the five-year average.